4: The Canadian Sport Industry

In Canada, sport is an important part of the national cultural fabric and a strong contributor to the international identity. What Canadians experience as the sport industry today, has been shaped by a rich and complex history, one where a clear and agreed upon identity continues to be debated and shaped by citizens, government policy, and other key stakeholders (e.g., media, scholars, sport organizations, and administrators). Indeed, the history of sport in Canada provides an interesting tale of significant cultural influences (i.e., First Nations, French, and English immigrants), competition among and within settlers in the late 1800s and early 1900s, government national and international agendas, and evolving technology (Morrow, 2015; Morrow & Wamsley, 2013; Thibault & Harvey, 2013).